The United States has accused Russia of conducting the test of an anti-satellite weapon in space that Washington fears could be used to threaten critical U.S. and allied satellites.
The Russian Defense Ministry said that a small space vehicle on July 15 inspected one of its satellites up close “using special equipment.” However, the United States said on July 23 that the craft actually had a different mission.
“The Russian satellite system used to conduct this on-orbit weapons test is the same satellite system that we raised concerns about earlier this year, when Russia maneuvered near a U.S. government satellite,” said General John W. Raymond, commander of Space Command and the head of the U.S. Space Force.
He said it was consistent with Russia’s stated military doctrine to deploy weapons that could potentially neutralize U.S. and allied space assets.